In All Honesty
by Melancholic-Lotus13
Summary: What if Reign Storm ended a bit differently? What might happen? This is what I think would happen.
1. Chapter 1

**This is an alternate ending to Reign Storm. Hope you enjoy. Alright, so Danny Phantom belongs to Butch Hartman.**

* * *

The fight against the ghost king was long and difficult. After stumbling out of the Ecto-Skeleton, a boy with white hair and green eyes fell onto his knees and a ring split from his middle, going the opposite directions, they left a boy with black hair  
and blue eyes. An older ghost smiled and stepped up to the boy and transformed into his human form completely ignoring their audience that consisted of four ghosts.

The boy named Danny quickly got to his feet and stood glaring at the man in front of him. He was breathing heavily as he was exhausted since he was so close to dying that day. He knew that it was the man's fault. _He_ was the one to let Pariah Dark  
out. _He_ was the one who almost had him died. _He_ deserved to get what was coming for him.

He noticed from his peripheral vision that some of his enemies (Desiree, Skulker, Fright Night, and Ember) stood there watching them. The young halfa just didn't care. He honestly just didn't care as he had worseproblems to think of.

The reason they were there, was that they wanted to see and hear what was going to happen. They watched in silence as the boy glared so fiercely that if looks could kill, the older halfa would've died an infinite number of times. They wondered who would  
speak first, but it wasn't long before they got their answer.

"How stupid could you possibly be?" yelled in fury the teen.

The man's eyes narrowed. "Oh, calm down Daniel. You serious—"

"Calm down?" exclaimed the boy in disbelief cutting the man off much to his irritation. "How could you possibly expect me to calm down? I almost died because of you!"

"Me?"

"Yes, you, _Vlad_!"

Normally he would call him a Fruit Loop no matter how pissed he was, so when he called him his actual name, it sent warning signals. Although, he ignored those signals as he scowled. "I would watch your tone if I were you. Screaming won't get you anywhere.  
In all honesty, if it wasn't for me—"

"Pariah Dark wouldn't have escaped in the first place! He wouldn't have put the world in danger and I wouldn't have had to almost die!"

"Almost, Little Badger. You _almost_ died, yet here you are still breathing and annoying as hell. My plan went perfectly, if I do say so myself."

Danny growled, bawling his fists. He wanted to wipe that smug smirk off the man's face. With so much venom, he asked, "What if it didn't?"

The question took aback the four ghosts there. What if the ghost child died? What if Vlad didn't get there soon enough? What if Pariah Dark had escaped? These questions and a whole lot more ran through their minds. The boy made an excellent point. If  
just one small thing happened differently what would've happened?

"Ah, you see Daniel, you can't live life with 'what ifs'," said the man calmly.

Danny's gaze hardened that much more. "That's all I've been dealing with for the past few months."

"Then maybe you should let it go."

Danny let out a frustrated scream and rage boiled and spread through his body like a wildfire. He couldn't take it anymore. He was sick and tired of being pushed around and used as a pawn for evil Fruit Loop's plans."It's all your fault!"

Vlad was shocked by this outburst as was the others. They never heard the boy accuse someone, for anything unless it was legitimately their fault.

Although, Vald's shock was quickly formed to anger. "My fault?"

"Oh my god, _yes_!" Danny said this in a frustrated 'duh' voice while gripping his hair. _How does he honestly think it wasn't his fault?_ "It's your fault! All of it! You just like to ruin my life! Maybe if you actually get a cat and over your  
stupid, petty crush on my mom than I wouldn't have to deal with you!"

"You really need to stop blaming everyone for your little problems, Daniel. You should take some of the blame for yourself."

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Time started like an hourglass being flipped. Soft grains of sand counting the second, the minutes, and finally the hour of something tragic. The Fright Night and Desiree were the only ones to have felt this. They knew something was going to happen, they  
just didn't how bad it would be.

They watched as Danny's eyes went from green to blue then to red. This made them step back. His enemies know that when his are red, you better run like hell. "What do you think I've been doing for months you idiotic bastard?"

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Desiree and Ember gasped which were ignored by the two halfas. They knew that Danny was angry, no furious, but they never imagined him to be _this_ mad. They could practically feel the rage roll off him like tsunamis. Vlad glared at the boy.

"I'd watch your tongue, boy! I'm your elder, you should show some respect!"

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

"Why the hell should I respect _you_? You honestly believe that I don't blame myself for anything?"

"If you did, we wouldn't be having this discussion, now would we?" said the man bluntly. Disdain and fury shown in his orbs.

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

"I blame myself for everything! For all those injuries that innocent bystanders get during my fights! For all the ghosts that attack the human world! For being such a let down to my parents. For everyone's hate that I get! I blame everything on no one  
but myself!" He took a breath, eyes flash to the regular blue. "Ugh, this isn't fair!"

"Life isn't fair. You should—"

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

"I know! I fucking know! Maybe if you aren't so inane, you would know this by now! If life was fair, I wouldn't be having to fight ghosts! If life was fair, I wouldn't be having to worry about anything other than my grades and future! If life was fair,  
I wouldn't be such a disappointment! If life was fair, I wouldn't have to deal with the likes of you!"

Vlad's fury and hatred flew. He slapped the boy which caused him to fall onto his back. Their eyes went so comically wide that they threatened to pop out of their sockets. "If life was fair, you wouldn't have been born. You really should stop acting like  
such a goddamned child."

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

The ghosts just stared in shock as the older man stated this.

"Plasmius, I may hate the whelp, but you didn't have to go that low."

"Shut up, Skulker. He deserved every word."

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Silence had fallen upon them as they watch the boy start shaking. _He deserved every word._ Did he? Did he honestly deserve that? What did he do exactly to get all of this?

 _ **Tick-tick-ti–ck.**_

Something in Danny snapped—no, it was more as if something had crumbled into dust. The half-hour mark.

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Tears streamed down his face as his whole petite frame trembled. He was right. Reality had rammed him like an avalanche. Burying him under everything that had been said about him. He didn't have any control on whether he was born or not. It wasn't his  
fault!

 _"You really should stop acting like such a goddamn child."_ He was only fourteen, for goodness sakes! He should have the right to act childish. Sobs racked through his small body.

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

 _"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me."_ That stupid saying kept replaying like a broken record. Who ever came up with that saying better get whacked in the head with a stick. Words are more lethal than a knife, than  
a gun, than a nuclear bomb.

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

The boy slowly rose to his feet, one hand cupping his cheek as he kept his head down.

 _ **Drip-drip-drip.**_

Tears fell from the boy's face and soaked the floor. He then said in a raspy voice, "I need to stop acting childish?" His voice sounded broken, but the next thing he said was filled with so much hate and anger that the four flinched. "I have the right  
to act childish!"

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

They all understood. He was only fourteen, barely a teenager and yet here he was, sacrificing himself to save both worlds. His future had pretty much died alongside him when he first received his ghost powers. _"I have the right to act childish!"_ He  
truly did have the right. When people tell him to stop acting like a kid, they miss the fact that he, indeed, is still a kid.

Vlad sneered at the boy. _Crying is pathetic._

Danny's head shot up. Tears streamed down his face, but something about the way his head was tilted to the side, the way his lips were twitching upwards, and a strange glint in his eyes, made the rich man take a step back. Danny laughed and this sounded  
not joyful, but broken and hysterical. This noise would've made all the ghosts shrivel up and fly away, but they didn't. They were petrified.

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

"I didn't have the choice to be born. No, but I do have the choice to live or die!"

Vlad knew, oh how he knew and hated knowing, but he knew. The boy finally snapped. He was going slowly insane and it was all his fault. "Little Badger, calm down." Oh God, his voice cracked. That wasn't like him. He always had a strong voice and the cracking  
made him feel like going through puberty all over again.

"I am calm!" More tears ran and a chuckle passed through his lips. "You want me dead, don't you? Go ahead! Wish aloud for it! Desiree is right there! Say those words that you have always wanted to say!"

"Daniel, this isn't you. Just—" he trailed off. Just what? There wasn't anything he could do. The boy's mind was slowly slipping.

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Danny gripped his raven black hair. "You say that this is all my fault. That your life would be so much better if I was dead, then make the fucking wish!"

No one moved. They had never seen this side of the boy, and they never want to see it again. The two females had ectoplasmic tears gathering.

"You want me dead," came the whisper. He was now sobbing, all insanity in his words, eyes and features was far from gone. "Make the wish of you want, I don't care! Do it already."

He didn't care. Not anymore. All that Vlad had said was true. Maybe the world would've been better off without him. His parents would be happy and wouldn't had to deal with a disappointment, his friends would have better lives—who knows maybe even popular—and  
Vlad, he might never had to have dealt with Danny and maybe would actually be happy. It was all him. Everything wrong with his family and friends, all of that was his fault.

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Panting was all that could've been heard. Vlad had no words whatsoever. The boy in front of him, he would always be fighting and never gave up. That was what made him so annoying, but he never thought that he'd actually see the day when the boy surrendered.  
He never even thought that he'd be the one to have broken him to the point of having to give up life entirely. _He's too young,_ whispered a voice in the back of his head. I _f anything happens, if he does anything irreversible, it'll be all_ your _fault._

They continued the staring contest. Tears stopped flowing, but left bloodshot eyes in their wake.

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Vlad took a step closer, but in doing so activated a trap. Before anyone can register anything, Vlad was roughly pushed to the side by Danny. Vlad stood up in a blinding rage. He had enough of the boy's attitude who stood with his back towards them, shoulders  
rose and fell heavily as if he was breathing hard. Not caring about that, he trudged over, but before he touch the him, the boy collapsed. Vlad reacted fast enough to catch him. What he saw, froze his ectoplasmic blood.

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

An arrow protruded the boy's stomach, blood already begun staining his white shirt. "Daniel! Oh God, Daniel. You're going to be okay. Y-you'll have to be."

Danny was struggling to breathe and focus on Vlad. He felt exhausted, eyes were too heavy and his body was numb.

 _I'm going to take a quick nap. I hope it's just a quick nap. But I really need to close my eyes and rest for a while._

 **Tick-tick-tick.**

Vlad noticed his motions. "Stay awake! Look at me, Daniel!"

 _Someone is shouting. Is it at me? Or is it at someone else? I can't tell other than feeling cold, well colder. I just want to drift off and sleep. I'm tired. Oh, how I am tired._

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

He blinked sluggishly and that was when he noticed Vlad saying something. _What's wrong with you, Fruit Loop?_ Danny thought. _Why are you all so panicky?_

Vlad could already feel time ticking down.

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

He didn't know what to do. Oh, God, why? Why did this have to happen? Why did he have to be so stupid? He could practically hear the clock ticking down.

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

 _Something feels oh, so wrong. I'm drowsy and want to sleep, but a little voice keeps telling me to fight it._

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

"Little Badger, look at me!"

Danny did. He looked up to see the blurry face of Vlad Masters.

"V-Vlad?"

"Daniel, stay awake."

 _I know what's going on. I can now tell that I'm dying. Life is slowly slipping out of my body. In all honesty, I never really thought it would end like this, lying in a puddle of my own blood in the arms of my enemy. But so be it, the end of my life, crushed in an instant. Fine then, let it be._

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Danny coughed. "I'm . . . s-sorry. I—" he coughed once again, but coughed up blood. It splattered onto his face.

 _My mind is becoming numb, feeling drowsy. I can't think straight anymore, I am way too tired. The world looks distorted, I can't make sense of any of it anymore. My mind was numb._

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

The ghosts surrounded them; they kept quiet. Vlad reached out to take the arrow out but was stopped.

Danny's fingers curled around his wrist. "V-Vlad?"

"Shh. Don't talk. You need to save your energy."

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

The ghost child shook his head. "Not much . . . can be done. At least, you and— _cough, cough_ —e-everyone else will be— _sniff_ —happy. I'm so sorry! I'm sorry for being such a burden." The boy had tears streaming down the sides of his fast as  
he was laying there, slowly dying. "You . . . get your wish." His voice was becoming a whisper.

"Daniel, you'll be okay." Even as he said it, he didn't believe it. The boy was already as cold as ice.

 _I'm so cold, I didn't notice it before, but my body starts to shiver. It wasn't cold here before I don't think. It doesn't matter. My body feels numb, but I still feel the cold._

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

"I never hated you," he was able to whisper before his voice finally died. All he could do now, was watch and listen, but even then those senses were dying as well and finally he would be next.

Those four words made everyone stop and freeze. The boy never hated him?

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Vlad stared down at the boy. His brain stopped working. The tension was so thick it'd take a chainsaw to cut it. Silence was all that was known in those few seconds. The only thing that could be heard was the boy's ragged breathing.

 _Exhausted. I'm absolutely exhausted. Perhaps I should just take a small nap. Yes, that sounds nice. Just close my eyes and sleep._

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Danny blinks rapidly. His mind came back to reality. He remembered that Vlad hadn't said anything. _Oh, God. Stop staring and say something!_ He mentally yelled. _Please, say something, anything!_

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Why wasn't he saying anything? Did he really despise him? Was he disgusted by the boy? He probably didn't even want the boy to be touching him, the only anchor that kept the boy alive. The clock was nearing down to its end.

 _It'll be over soon, I can feel it. My end is coming and there's nothing I can do. Fine. I'm too exhausted anyway. I just wish I could've done things differently. But none of that matters now, it'll be over soon. At last._

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Somehow, the boy was able to, albeit with difficulty say, "I just . . . wanted to— _gasp_ —know if you didn't . . . hate me too. Maybe—we could've . . ." he trailed off. His voice was leaving him once more. ". . . could've done things differently."  
That was it, Voice left him. All he had was Ears and Eyes, but those were slightly dead anyway just like him.

 _Tired, I'm so tired. I'll take a nap, a quick power nap. Or my last nap. Either way, I can't keep my eyes open any longer, I need to rest. A quick nap will be fine._

 _ **Tick-tick-tick.**_

Vlad's mind began working again. He noticed the boy's hand slipping. He took the arrow out of him at the same time a voice rang out:

"I wish for him to be healed!" Ember exclaimed somehow finding her voice once more.

 _ **Tick-tick-ti—**_

The clock seemed to stop right when Desiree nodded and granted the wish at the last minute. Right when the boy, almost took his last breath. Right when the boy's hand landed on the ground with a _smack_!

Fright Night and Skulker were staring at the boy in pity. They didn't understand why the boy had been the one to go through everything. Skulker felt a huge amount of remorse for what he done to the boy.

The older halfa hugged the smaller boy to his chest.

 _Thump, thump, thump._

His slow and steady heart reached the halfa's ears. He began whispering in the boy's ear, "I never hated you either Danny. I never hated you. I'm so sorry. You were right. You were right, it was all my fault. If only I wasn't stupid then maybe you wouldn't  
have almost had to die twice."

Ember kneeled beside them. She stroked the boy's hair with sad eyes. "It's time for you two to go home. His family and friends must be worried sick."

Vlad nodded. "Of course." He picked the boy up and turned to the genie. "Thank you. To both of you. If it wasn't for you, he'd be dead."

Desiree smiled and kissed the unconscious half human boy's forehead. "We realized that the boy means more than anything."

Fright Night nodded. _He'll be a great king. He will be the bridge of the two world's._

The ghost took one last look at his future king and flew off with Skulker, Ember, and Desiree trailing him.

Vlad looked at the sleeping boy in his arms. Kissing his forehead, he said, "In all honesty, you're the best thing to have happened to me."

* * *

 **Woo, well there you guys have it. My au for Reign Storm. Hoped you enjoyed. Yeah, made Danny go crazy for a bit, but hey at least I didn't kill him!**


	2. Chapter 2

**This is to give a bit of info on what happens after.**

* * *

Danny was doing okay. After what happened, Vlad had taken the boy to his home. Quickly explaining to his parents that he was knocked unconscious at the edge of town. A day before the boy woke, Vlad asked his parents to let him take the lad with him to  
his friends and family protested, but Vlad had to assure them that he would take care of him.

The Box Ghost, who was invisible the entire time, overshadowed Jack into persuading Maddie to let the man take care of the boy as they help around the town. Giving in, Maddie packed her son's clothes as Jazz spoke to Vlad with a glare.

"Who do you think you are? I _know_ that you're going to do something to my brother. What? Force him to be your son? Brainwash him? Or–"

" _Enough_ ," he said sternly. "I suggest you to mind your own business. I am not going to do that. Daniel went through a mental breakdown, and knowing that you're studying psychology, you should know better than anyone that it'd bebest to  
keep an eye on him while he recovers. Since I don't trust your parents in helping their son with this, and him being half ghost, it'd be safe to take him with me, _another_ halfa."

Jazz wanted to argue, she really did, but knowing that he was right, she nodded in defeat. "Fine, but don't do anything to him, otherwise I have a thermos with your name on it."

Vlad nodded, not even bothering to defend himself. He looked at the boy lying asleep on the couch. The boy seemed relax and innocent while asleep like a child.

 _"You really should stop acting like such a goddamn child."_ His harsh words echoed through his mind reminding him what he had told the boy. _"I have the right to act childish!"_ The boy had yelled. Vlad had huge amount ofremorse eat

away at his heart. He was angry and frustrated that he said things he knew weren't true.

"Alright, his clothes are all set," said Maddie breaking him out of his thoughts. "Take care of him."

"Of course." He picks up the boy while Jazz takes the bag and place it in his limo.

The millionaire laid the boy's head on his lap as the driver drove off. Hand running through raven black hair, his blue eyes watched as his chest rose and fell evenly.

 _It's foggy. What is going on? Where am I? I can barely see through it as I make my way around yelling, "Daniel?"_

 _"You did this!" I turn to see Daniel with an arrow in his stomach, red eyes filled with hatred. "I hate you! You failed to save me!"_

 _I recoil, my heart breaking at his words. "No. I did save you. You're safe."_

 _"If I was safe then why am I dead?"_

 _Lightning flashes and there stands a gravestone with Danny's name and birthdate and death day. Staring at it is Daniel himself. His blue eyes look up at mine. "Why didn't you save me?"_

Vlad shot awake panting. He placed his hand on the boy's chest.

 _ **Thump-thump-thump.**_

 _It's still there_ , he thought to himself. _He's safe. I didn't fail him. He's still alive._

Danny stirred a bit before falling back sighed softly. "I really am sorry Daniel. I never meant for anything to happen to you. This can never be forgiven."

"Is fine," murmured Daniel. He looked at the man through half lidded eyes. He wasn't all that aware of his surroundings as his sleep muddled mind was barely registering anything.

Vlad ran his hand through the boy's hair. "How are you feeling?"

Danny just stared at him, not moving or blinking. His blue eyes that held life and joy were now dull and unfocused. It was as if everything that he had done the past months finally got to him. He had honestly no idea what was going on or where he was.

Why was Vlad holding him? What had happened? The exhaustion came back and he went straight back to sleep, enciliting a sigh from the billionaire.

Once they had gotten to the mansion, Vlad immediately took the boy to the room. He was going to stay there until the boy awoke. He wasn't going to let him be alone. Not yet at least. He needed to make sure that Danny would be at least okay enough to functionandnot  
think anything suicidal.

For everything that Vlad had done, he was just hoping that their relationship would get better and he'd trust the older halfa. After all, Vlad knew exactly what it meant by Danny defeating the king. He knew that Danny would become a great king. He maybechildish  
but he was a great leader, he knew what it's like to be the little guy and he interacts greatly with people. That and he would have his friends with him at every step of the way.

As the male's eyes slowly drifted close, he had one last thought.

 _Life is a winding road of hurt and happiness, and maybe after all this pain, you may rest and be happy because it is not what you are that chooses fate—it's who you are and strive to be._

* * *

 **Well there y'all have it. It's meh but yeah. Send me some stories ideas that y'all would like for me to write—whether it be for this fic or for a different one—and I will try my best to complete it.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I am so sorry! I just had momentary writer's block and couldn't think of anything! I'm not sure if this fanfic is even finish! My mind is completely and utterly blank as my face as I freaking write this author's note and apology. This is way overdue but I hope yall enjoy this!**

Silence. That was all Vlad got for the most three days. Silence and blank stares, seeming to never end. The poor boy hadn't spoken and had barely eaten. It was extremely worrying, Vlad wanted to see the smile he would wear on his face, even if it was forced—it still meant he cared enough to put on a show, but all he did was have a hopeless look on his face which only caused his heart to clench at the depressing sight. He didn't know what he was going to do. He was trying to help but it was obvious that he was not going to cooperate. He tried so _hard_ to get his little badger happy again, to care enough to put on his little show. Nothing. It was scary to know that if he gives up that it may just give the boy a chance.

What happened to the smart-alek boy? The one that never gave up on helping people? It was almost hopeless, Vlad wanted to give up. He couldn't get through the boy and he never had any patience, something that got him into this mess. If he could, he would change everything. He would've never let the Pariah out, never would've said any of those meaningless words to the boy, to the one that has no hope, no life in those blue eyes. The blue eyes that always held this light, this spark that never faded no matter how bad the situation got. Why did he let this happen to him? He was only fourteen and his life was already going down the drain. His life didn't get ruined until his college years, the boy was only in high school. He had noticed the way his ribs could be seen, how his stomach was slightly caved in because of how little he ate for fighting all those ghosts. How did no one even notice? The millionaire doubted that his little friends even knew of how he rarely ate since they never seemed all that concerned or even prompted him to eat a bit. They figured that he must still be eating or something, right? He didn't know but he was hoping to find out.

" _Ugh, this isn't fair!"_

" _Life isn't fair. You should—"_

 _"I know! I fucking know! Maybe if you aren't so inane, you would know this by now! If life was fair, I wouldn't be having to fight ghosts! If life was fair, I wouldn't be having to worry about anything other than my grades and future! If life was fair, I wouldn't be such a disappointment! If life was fair, I wouldn't have to deal with the likes of you!"_

 _Vlad's fury and hatred flew. He slapped the boy which caused him to fall onto his back. Their eyes went so comically wide that they threatened to pop out of their sockets. "If life was fair, you wouldn't have been born..."_

He squeezed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn't want to think of what he had told the boy. Vlad had let his emotions get the best of his him and it was a mistake. Everyone made mistakes, that was what made people human. He sat down, head in his hands with his elbows on the desk. He was in his office, the boy was completely asleep. It had been five days, five days since the invasion and nothing, just _nothing._ Danny had to get back to school sometime, but not like this. He couldn't let him go home to his family like this. A week, that was how long he and Daniel got to stay together before he had to go back to Amity Park. Vlad had no idea what he was going to do. Daniel wasn't responding to him. His ghost friends dropped by after hearing what happened to try and cheer him up. No such luck.

"Daniel," he whispered, staring at his hands. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said or done all that."

He closed his eyes, thinking of what to do with him. Sighing, the older halfa stood and went back to the boy's room. He sat in a chair beside him, running his hand through the boy's extremely soft, raven black hair. It was then when he felt how cold the boy was, except it wasn't normal. The boy's skin was colder than he used to be and was getting colder. He frowned, not knowing how he hadn't noticed it. He withdrew his hand for a second before placing it back on his forehead but it was now a normal temperature. It probably was his imagination. He shook his head and went back to stroking his hair, waiting for him to wake up.

It took a while before the younger half ghost woke up. His eyelids fluttered and his blue eyes found Vlad. The same blank stare met his worried and concern one. "Daniel?" Vlad whispered, waiting for a response but none came. "Daniel, please say something. You only have few a days left to stay here. What will your family and friends think if they see you like this? Danny at least try and smile."

Still no response but his eyes did held an emotion. Fear. He was afraid of something, but what? He looked at him, reaching out to place his hand on shoulder but he jerked away. Danny curled up on himself, trembling. He was afraid, afraid that they would leave him. He didn't know what he was going to do if they did. Danny just wanted to be alone.

"Daniel, please, I'm not going to hurt you." The gray haired man placed his hand on the boy's head. "I promise. Please, tell me what you're afraid of."

Danny glanced at him with big, watery eyes that broke his heart. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it and shook his head. He sighed again, but at least he's finally responding. Vlad nodded slowly, getting to his feet and turning to leave but he was stopped by a small hand that wrapped around his wrist. He turned his round, sky blue orbs to the small boy with a tilt of his head. He waited expectantly for the boy to say something, meeting his icy blue gaze. He lifted an eyebrow before his face split into a smile. It wasn't much but it was a working progress.

"Don't leave, Vlad."


End file.
